A retired roofer has won compensation for the injuries he suffered when a gas canister ignited, setting fire to him and forcing him to jump from a 12-foot roof.

Victor Barrell, 65, was using a roofing torch, to which the gas canister was attached, to repair the roof of his daughter-in-law’s stable. Suddenly, a fireball burst from the canister, which is thought to have been leaking.

His brother-in-law witnessed the accident and used a hose to extinguish the flames as the fire engulfed Mr Barrell’s hair, clothes and flesh. He was rushed to North Devon District Hospital and was then treated at a specialist burns unit at Frenchay Hospital in Bristol. He was in hospital for several months as a result of his injuries.

He has been left with permanent scarring on one arm and, two years after the accident, he still experiences pain when his skin is exposed to direct sunlight.

A claim was brought against the shop from which Mr Barrell had hired the equipment. The case was settled out of court for the sum of £6,000.